Saudi Arabia celebrates 96th National Day amid diversified economic growth, expanding role in Gulf integration march

Muscat: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrates its 96th National Day on 23 September, having achieved diverse accomplishments under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. The Kingdom continues to strengthen its presence at both the regional and international levels and within the Gulf integration march through diversified economic growth and an expanding investment base. The firmly established fraternal relations binding the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are founded upon the wise vision of the leaderships of the two sisterly countries: His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.Relations between the two countries have witnessed partnership across various political, economic, commercial, investment, and cultural fields. The volume of trade exchange between the two countries in 2025 amounted to approximately OMR2,475.4 million, while during the first six months of 2026 it reached approximately OMR1,086.2 million.Ibrahim bin Saad bin Bishan, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Sultanate of Oman, explained that the Kingdom's celebration this year comes under the slogan "Our Pride Lies in Our Nature," which is founded upon authentic values such as generosity, courage, authenticity, determination, and munificence—values that are genuine and deeply rooted in the Saudi people.In a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA), the Saudi Ambassador said that the Kingdom, as it celebrates its National Day, recalls the journey of a nation founded by the late King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud—a journey dedicated to building the human being and unifying the state, which has had a prominent presence in its Arab, Islamic, and international surroundings. He noted that, thanks to the leadership and wise vision of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his Crown Prince, the Kingdom has witnessed major transformations in economic development and the empowerment of the private sector, investment, human development, tourism, entertainment, sustainable energy and industry.He affirmed that Omani-Saudi relations enjoy generous patronage and attention from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Majesty the Sultan. The Kingdom is advancing towards the ambitious targets of Vision 2030, and the Sultanate of Oman is proceeding along its developmental path within Vision "Oman 2040." Between the two visions lies a vast space that can be transformed into joint projects, investments, economic integration, and cooperation in future sectors.He stated that relations between the two countries have witnessed in recent years an important transition from the strength of historical ties to the expansion of practical partnership domains. The volume of trade exchange between the two countries in 2025 amounted to approximately OMR2,475.4 million, while during the first six months of 2026 it reached approximately OMR1,086.2 million. The total value of Omani exports to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia amounted to approximately OMR547.6 million, while the value of Omani imports from the Kingdom reached approximately OMR538.6 million.He added that trade and movement between the two countries were further enhanced with the inauguration of the Al Rub' Al Khali (Empty Quarter) border crossing on 11 December 2021, as the first direct land crossing between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman. This constituted a qualitative leap in trade exchange, as the volume of trade through the crossing in 2025 recorded approximately OMR1,322 million, compared with approximately OMR1,051 million in 2021—representing approximately 58 percent of the volume of trade exchange between the two countries—in addition to facilitating transit between them.He affirmed that the Sultanate of Oman has become one of the most important tourist destinations for Saudi families, given its distinguished authenticity of people, social values, cultural heritage, and breathtaking nature. This is a natural development of a relationship between two countries possessing significant economic, geographical, and strategic assets.He said that among the most prominent reflections of the strength of these relations and the keenness of the leaderships of the two countries to develop them is the fraternal private visit made by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia this month, during which he met with His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. The discussions held affirmed the depth of the partnership between the two countries and the keenness of both sides to expand areas of cooperation in a manner that serves mutual interests and enhances the security and stability of the region.This is being pursued through diligent follow-up and tireless work by Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, through the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council and its subsidiary committees, in belief in the importance of the private sector's role as a genuine partner at this stage and in the future, and in the integration sought through the Saudi Vision 2030 and Oman 2040.The Ambassador pointed out that the Sultanate of Oman's participation in Expo Riyadh 2030, which moved into its official framework with the signing of the participation contract in September 2026, comes as a confirmation of the Sultanate of Oman's belief in the importance of being present in international forums hosted by the Kingdom, and as a contribution to building new bridges for knowledge, cultural, and economic exchange.He expressed his aspiration for the Omani participation to feature a permanent pavilion highlighting the Sultanate of Oman's heritage, achievements, and future aspirations, and the opportunities for strengthening partnerships between institutions, companies, and talents between the two countries and with other countries of the world.He noted that the Gulf Cup tournament being held in Jeddah from 23 September to 6 October 2026 represents an arena for rapprochement and the strengthening of the shared Gulf spirit, and a confirmation that the future of relations is built through cooperation, communication, and the integration of energies.He affirmed that he views Saudi-Omani cooperation as a partnership capable of growth in numerous sectors—from energy, industry, and investment to tourism, logistics services, and transport, extending to the digital economy and new technologies. The two countries have an important opportunity to benefit from their strategic location, link their economic capabilities, and encourage the private sector in both countries to be a principal partner in the coming phase.A report titled "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: The Heart of the Gulf Economy and a Partner in Shaping the Future," issued by the GCC Statistics Centre in cooperation with the General Authority for Statistics of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, explained that the Saudi economy recorded real growth of 4.5 percent during 2025, while the gross domestic product at current prices reached approximately $1,275 billion, and net foreign direct investment inflows amounted to approximately $32.5 billion.Indicators of the structure of the Saudi economy point to the broadening contribution of non-oil activities, which reached 72.5 percent of the gross domestic product, while the contribution of the non-oil private sector reached 54 percent. The volume of the Kingdom's merchandise trade exchange reached approximately $565.3 billion in 2025, reflecting the expansion of commercial activity and the growing importance of the Kingdom in regional and international trade movement.The report also highlights the economic and social interaction between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the citizens of the GCC states, as Saudi ports recorded the entry of 9.1 million Gulf citizens during 2024, while the number of GCC citizens working in the private sector in the Kingdom reached approximately 7,690 citizens.In the capital market, the number of GCC state shareholders in the Saudi stock market reached approximately 5,749 shareholders, with 353 companies listed for Gulf trading. This interconnection extends to the fields of education and social services, as the number of male and female students from GCC states in general education in the Kingdom reached 10,096 students.Riyadh's hosting of the Sixth United Nations World Data Forum 2026, scheduled from 9 to 12 November, alongside future major events such as Expo Riyadh 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034, represents a series of milestones that reinforce the Kingdom's standing in the global economy and bolster multiple sectors, including tourism, aviation, hospitality, logistics, and technology. International tourism revenues in the Kingdom reached $47.1 billion in 2025, marking a 70.9 percent increase compared with 2019.The report showed that the value of investment in artificial intelligence reached approximately $2.03 billion during 2025, while the percentage of establishments using artificial intelligence technologies reached 33.1 percent.The Kingdom continues its pivotal role in the energy system, in parallel with expansion in renewable energy sources, as the operational capacity of renewable energy projects reached 12.3 gigawatts during 2025.At the Gulf level, the Kingdom's share in the capital of the GCC Interconnection Authority reached 31.6 percent during 2024. This approach coincides with expansion in education, training, research and development, and digital transformation, thereby enhancing skills development and supporting the building of an economy more reliant on knowledge and innovation.